BibTeX max_glob_strs = 10 or 20 much too small; could we have 100, please?

[GuySteele]

I am working with ACM to revise ACM-Reference-Format.bst with some substantial new capabilities, including the processing of dates in ISO 8601 format. To work with these complicated data structures, we need a substantial number of temporary string variables, declared using STRINGS { ... }. This works fine with, say, TexLive, which has a version of BibTeX that can automatically adjust its allocation parameters. However, authors working with MiKTeX tell us that the BibTeX that comes with MiKTeX has max_glob_strs set to either the original value of 10 or to a larger value of 20. We need more like 40, and we would suggest that for today's computers a value of at least 100 would not be unreasonable going forward. We have authors trying to prepare papers for publication with a deadline about four weeks from now. Would it be possible to make available a MiKTeX-BibTeX with a higher value for max_glob_strs within that time frame?

Thanks,
Guy Steele
Co-chair, Fourth ACM SIGPLAN Conference on History of Programming Languages
[email protected]

[cbmoler]

I am one of the authors that Guy is talking about. I am trying to use MikTeX to prepare a paper for the conference he is chairing and I am running into the BibTeX limit of 20 on the number of string globals. He can successfully typeset my paper on his Unix machine. But when I try with MikTeX, it won't even try to build an updated bibliography unless I remove the .aux or .bbl files he built for me. If I do remove one of those files, then I get the "Sorry---you've exceeded BibTeX's number of string global-variables 20". I will be happy to provide a .zip file of my entire project if that would help, but it's a lot of stuff.

Danke,
Cleve Moler
Chief Mathematician, MathWorks
[email protected]

[edocevoli]

If possible, I will increase max_glob_strs.

[GuySteele]

Thank you. If this succeeds, please let us know when authors can obtain the updated version.

…

On Feb 12, 2020, at 1:08 PM, Christian Schenk ***@***.***> wrote: If possible, I will increase max_glob_strs. — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/MiKTeX/miktex/issues/471?email_source=notifications&email_token=AAXU22UCR47NLDNBAWAQWQLRCQ3LNA5CNFSM4KSYEK72YY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOELRZHPI*issuecomment-585339837__;Iw!!GqivPVa7Brio!INsIqrEUL_nLQsx8_1HNqBzl51y51FMtkL3ABhgM1fsfxozQ25ktAOE6LMemnft7$>, or unsubscribe <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAXU22UNXFAODGNIEY2L2XDRCQ3LNANCNFSM4KSYEK7Q__;!!GqivPVa7Brio!INsIqrEUL_nLQsx8_1HNqBzl51y51FMtkL3ABhgM1fsfxozQ25ktAOE6LHslYqpT$>.

[GuySteele]

This appears to solve the problem, thank you.